Haseo Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 WHY HAVE I SEEN THIS CREATURE IN MY NIGHTMARES?! Seriously, that sucker's scary!The Zoo in Japan has now become my greatest interest, thanks for the post Tribe! Edit: Went back and read the previous posts. Have to say, this thread is helping me deal with entomophobia. Many thanks again Tribes, and to those whom have contributed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted November 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 Hearing you say that I'm assisting someone overcome their fear of bugs as well develop an interest for them makes my day, Thanks bud. Also, regarding zoos, I don't think you'll have to travel all the way to japan to see one in person. The point of a zoo is to showcase animals from all over the world in one convenient viewing spot. Just look into the some of the zoos that are closest to you, I'll bet you can find one without traveling half way across the world.You silly person you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted November 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 So is that all for the Spider crab then? Your guy's feedback is what keeps me motivated to do highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starswirlthebearded Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 All I'm going to say is that it must take some intense skill to use those mandibles. And even more skill to get the food in their mouth using said mandibles. I do enjoy the spider crab though. Good highlight sir. Keep em coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted November 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 All I'm going to say is that it must take some intense skill to use those mandibles. And even more skill to get the food in their mouth using said mandibles.I do enjoy the spider crab though. Good highlight sir. Keep em coming.Thank you swirly, I needed that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella-Song Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 That spider crab... imagine people's faces if you had that as a pet in your pool?I think it would be awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewind Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 I think it's a great spotlight, Bugmaster. I'm just not sure what to say about your crabs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Sorry guys, I haven't been doing a very good job of becoming re-active here on canterlot like I said I would. I'll get a new bug highlight up soon yeah? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Someone Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 May I just say I like the idea of these spotlights? Insects don't get the recognition they deserve (even if spiders do freak me out a little.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 May I just say I like the idea of these spotlights? Insects don't get the recognition they deserve (even if spiders do freak me out a little.)Thanks. I hope to see enjoy this thread and learn a thing or two. And don't worry, the difference between fear and dislike is an easily reckonizable one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TortoiseShell Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 So. My husband was given a hermit crab for his birthday. We had been discussing getting one since August or so, but I was really against it. They just creep me out, and trying to hold one gave me the willies something fierce.I don't think I'll ever be able to touch this little guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewind Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 So. My husband was given a hermit crab for his birthday. We had been discussing getting one since August or so, but I was really against it. They just creep me out, and trying to hold one gave me the willies something fierce.I don't think I'll ever be able to touch this little guy.At least paint a cutie mark on its shell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 So. My husband was given a hermit crab for his birthday. We had been discussing getting one since August or so, but I was really against it. They just creep me out, and trying to hold one gave me the willies something fierce.I don't think I'll ever be able to touch this little guy.I had a hermit crab when I was younger, and I named him Skittles. I was also a bit weary of holding him in fear of getting pinched. I found that wearing winter gloves really helped. If he does pinch you, which he probably won't if your handling him correctly and with respect, he'll just grab the glove and not your skin. Also, I'll have a highlight up soon. For real this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starswirlthebearded Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 At least paint a cutie mark on its shell!She can do this without ever touching the hermit crab. All she needs do is paint the mark on the replacement shell when it grows out of its old one! Simple and effective way to get art on the shell of a hermit crab.And I love hermit crabs. I've never even been pinched by one... Though I have been pinched by a regular crab, on the leg as I recall. My father, being the fisherman and general master of the sea that he was, captured it. We ended up taking a few photos with it, and then releasing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfessorCogsworth Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Random Question...Is it possible to keep Horsehoe crabs as pets?I think they're all kinds of awesome but I imagine there is a hell of a lot of work needed to keep one, hell the habitat alone would need to be substantial due to their size.Just wondering if it is at all feasible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starswirlthebearded Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Random Question...Is it possible to keep Horsehoe crabs as pets?I think they're all kinds of awesome but I imagine there is a hell of a lot of work needed to keep one, hell the habitat alone would need to be substantial due to their size.Just wondering if it is at all feasible.I'd assume not, but I suppose anything is possible. If you have the money and ability to have an aquarium-esque habitat... And the means to take care of it... I cannot see why not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 I'd assume not, but I suppose anything is possible. If you have the money and ability to have an aquarium-esque habitat... And the means to take care of it... I cannot see why not...I actually looked into it a bit and like swirly said, it is possible but not entirely practical. They are sold on the aquariam trade market, but they have something on a discouraging pet record. I'll link the sight I read up on it for you to check out.http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/news_article.asp?id=2120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewind Posted December 15, 2012 Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 Fun fact: Horseshoe crabs have blue blood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2012 Alright, I've decided to keep the crustacean train rolling with a double crab highlight! First up, the Hermit Crab.I'm sure you all know what a Hermit Crab is, but I'll give a brief review anyway. Hermit crabs are small crustaceans that are usually small enough to fit in your hand. They can be found all over the world par arctic regions. Marine species live in the coasts of Europe, North and South America, and Australia. Alternatively, land hermit crabs can be found in the Caribbean, Florida, Australia, and other warm places. They get the name "Hermit" because they borrow the shells of deceased gastropods to protect their soft abdomens and in a sense, live alone in them. Hermit Crabs aren't that picky though when it comes to choosing a home as long is the size is suitable. Hermit Crabs have been found living in things like hollowed rocks, empty soda cans, broken light bulbs, and even discarded shotgun shells!Anyways, the name Hermit Crab is actually pretty ironic as they are very social animals that can live in groups well up to 100 or more. Aside from the obvious benefits of living in a group, this can also make it easier for individuals to acquire a proper sized shell. You see, when a group of Hermit Crabs come across a new shell, they will often form a line, from biggest to smallest. The biggest will move into the newly found shell. Meanwhile the next biggest will move into the biggest's formal shell. They repeat this chain of home exchange until everyone has a brand new, better fitting shell. But as with most social animals, they don't always get along. If there's not enough to go around Hermit Crabs will often fight one another for the rights of a shell, and may even go so far as to gang up on an individual to forcibly pull him out. Having a properly sized shell is very important to a Hermit Crabs survival. If a shell is too small, a Hermit Crab is unable to fully retract inside. If a shell is too big, he will be unable to fully block the entrance with his big claw.Next up, we have the Horseshoe Crab.There are only four species of Horseshoe Crab in this age, found most abundant in the Delaware Bay, the Bay of Bengal, and the southwestern seas of Japan. They're pretty sizable, with the females growing up to 18-19 inches in length and the males roughly 2/3rd's of the size. They also have an impressive life span living up to and over 20 years. Now despite the name and my previous concept of a "crustacean train", Horseshoe crabs are actually more related to arachnids such as spiders and scorpions rather then crabs. What's really interesting about these guys though, as that they are considered "Living Fossils" This is said that not only because have they hardly changed over time, but that they are estimated to have been around for a whooping 450 million years as evidenced by their fossils, of the non-living variety that is.Alrighty then, there you have it folks. let me know what you guys think because I love your feedback! Now if your excuse me, I'm off to go practice Nyx Assassin in Dota 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosewind Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Hermit crabs're cute! Horseshoe crabs also are medically very important, as their blood has a unique chemical that binds to pathogens. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyshy Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Hermit crabs're cute! Horseshoe crabs also are medically very important, as their blood has a unique chemical that binds to pathogens.did not know that...thanks rose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starswirlthebearded Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Hermit crabs're cute! Horseshoe crabs also are medically very important, as their blood has a unique chemical that binds to pathogens.The chemical is actually a cell similar to our own white blood cells called ambeocytes (specifically Limulus amebocyte lysate) that are used to detect bacterial endotoxins (pathogens of bacterial origin). (I don't think it is by binding though... I think it creates a clotting reaction)*looks at what he is doing*.............Okay... I'm going to stop before I write a dissertation on the uses of Horseshoe crab blood extracts in medicine.Coolest part about all of that is that we harvest the blood from Horseshoe crabs just like we harvest blood from humans! And it is usually safe for them! Great highlights Bugmaster!And I agree with Rosie that hermit crabs are cute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonetribe Posted December 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Thanks guys! Also, I just now saw that I used the word "estimated", twice in the same sentence in the Horseshoe Crab highlight. I'll go ahead and fix that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker_Izing Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Now I remember a documentary about this guys who implanted a video camera that replaced a horseshoe crab's eyes... Even as crude it was (bolted to the caparace and luminance signal straight to the eye nerves) the critter obviously had vision, was eerily uncanny to see...oh yeah, this crabs have literally blue blood, but I'd rather prefer to chew off a necrotic arm than let that blood injected on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starswirlthebearded Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 Now I remember a documentary about this guys who implanted a video camera that replaced a horseshoe crab's eyes... Even as crude it was (bolted to the caparace and luminance signal straight to the eye nerves) the critter obviously had vision, was eerily uncanny to see...oh yeah, this crabs have literally blue blood, but I'd rather prefer to chew off a necrotic arm than let that blood injected on me.I wouldn't worry about that. It isn't something they inject into people. Our bodies wouldn't like it much. The blood is taken and the ambeocytes extracted. That is used in a detection method called LAL testing (iirc). It is done on a live sample, not in a host. If you want I can find a documentation on how the detection method works or is done if you or anyone else is curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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